Ash tray



5, 966 F. L. MIDDLETON ETAL 3,285,683

ASH TRAY Filed Dec. 9, 1964 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,285,683 ASH TRAY Forest L. Middleton, Middleville, and Harold D. Wind, Grand Rapids, Mich, assignors to Lescoa, Inc., Grand Rapids, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed Dec. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 417,147 Claims. (Cl. 312-246) This invention relates to ash trays. More particularly, this invention relates to an ash tray adapted to be mounted in the interior of an automobile and the like, having an improved means for removing and inserting the ash box thereof.

Many types of ash trays for automobiles are presently in existence. One problem which is inherent in the structure of all such ash trays is the lack of a completely smooth operation, for example, in pulling the tray outwardly from the dash for use or pushing it back flush with the dash to close it. Moving parts rub against each other causing friction and sticking of the ash tray. Patent No. 3,109,688 issued November 5, 196-3, disclosed an improved type of ash tray which solved the problems noted above. The ash tray disclosed in this patent uniquely utilizes a carriage element and roller bearing means in its operation, essentially eliminating friction and cocking of the component parts and essentially eliminating sticking of the tray.

The present invention is an extension of the structure disclosed in Patent No. 3,109,688 in that a unique means is provided for removing the ash box from the structure, this means also uniquely combining with the other structure to retain all of the advantages of the vastly improved ash tray disclosed therein. The use of a special spring to facilitate the insertion and removal of the ash box is eliminated entirely. Such springs have 'been utilized for this purpose and although effective, they are expensive and complex the structure by adding an additional part. The automobile ash tray art is extremely competitive and costs are often very important. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an ash tray for use in the interior of automobiles and the like which achieves maximum smoothness of operation, and in addition provides a unique structure for removing the ash box therefrom.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a structure for removing the ash box from the ash tray which eliminates a separate spring structure and utilizes the inherent structure of the components of the ash tray.

An additional object of this invention is the provision of such an ash tray which is less expensive to fabricate.

These and other objects of this invention will become obvious to those skilled in the relevant arts upon reading the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective, partially exploded view showing certain parts in alternative positions in dotted lines to better illustrate their function; and

FIG. 2 is a side view of the unique carriage element of this invention.

Briefly, this invention relates to an ash tray adapted to be mounted in the interior of an automobile and the like including a mounting member, an ash box and a carriage element. Means slidably interconnect the member, the ash box and the carriage element. The carriage element is twisted, biasing one side of the element from a symmetrical position to lie above the other. A stop is positioned on the mounting member lying in the path of the carriage element and determining the outward extent of its movement with respect to the mounting member. The stop is of a size such that biasing of the carriage element toward its symmetrical position disengages the element from the stop for removal of the ash box from the member.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, FIG. 1

designates an ash tray embodying the principles of this invention. In the embodiment shown, the ash tray includes a mounting member 2, a carriage element 10 and an ash box 40.

The mounting member 2 is adapted to be mounted in an automobile or the like, and within the broadest aspects of the invention could be an integral part of the dash or the like. In the embodiment shown, the mounting member 2 includes a pair of depending flanges 3 and 4, the flanges having elongated tracks or beads 5 and 6 respectively formed therein. It will be noted that the beads 5 and 6 are open at the front edge of the member 2. A tab 7 depends from the front edge of the bight portion 8 of the member 2, the tab lying adjacent to flange 4 of the member, the functioning of which will be described hereinafter.

The ash box 40 includes a pair of side walls 41 and 42 together with a front panel 43. The panel 43 is adapted to lie flush with the dash or the like of an automobile, such panels already being well-known to the art. Elongated tra-cks or beads 44 and 45 are formed in the side walls 41 and 42 of the ash box 40 respectively. The ends of the beads 44 and 45 respectively are bent to enclose these beads in assembly of the ash tray, which will be more fully described hereinafter.

The carriage element 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is of generally U-shape, including a bight portion 11 and a pair of depending legs 12 and 13. Openings 14 are formed in each of the legs 12 and 13, tabs 15 positioned at each side of the openings 14, the tabs 15 extending outwardly of the legs. Ball bearings 16 are adapted to rotatably lie within the openings 14, retained from the exterior of the element 10 by means of the tabs 15. The carriage element 10 is of one piece, preferably metallic construction. After being formed to a symmetrical configuration as described, the carriage element 10 is forcibly twisted to the configuration shown in FIG. 2. Thus, flange 13 lies above flange 12. The front opening 14a in flange 13' is enlarged vertically. A finger tab 17 is formed to extend forwardly from the element 10 adjacent the flange 13 thereof. It should be noted that the provision of the twist in the carriage element is such that depression of the finger tabs as viewed in FIG. 2 will return the element to a symmetrical position, but upon release of the finger tab the element resiliently returns to the position shown in FIG. 2.

Assembly and operation The ash tray is assembled as follows. The mounting member 2 is secured for example in the dash of an automobile, the flanges 3 and 4 extending downwardly, the beads 5 and 6 having their open ends facing forwardly. In assembling the carriage element and ash box, the ball bearings 16 are positioned within the openings 14, retained from the exterior of th eelement 10 by the tabs 15. The U-shaped carriage element 10 is then slipped over the top of the ash box 40 from the back thereof. The ball bearings 16 slide into the beads 44 and 45 respectively, the ends of the beads being bent to prevent the ball bearings from escaping therefrom.

When thus assembled, the ash box 40 may be inserted into the mounting member 2. This is accomplished by simply sliding the ball bearings 16, exposed from their associated openings 14 through the tabs 15 to the exterior of the carriage element, into the open beads 5 and 6 in the flanges 3 and 4 of the mounting member. Upon pushing the ash box inwardly, the ball bearings rotating with respect to both the beads 5 and 6 and the beads 44 and 45, the front edge of the element 10 snapping behind the tab 7 on the mounting member 2, detachably aflixing the element 10, and thus the ash box 40 to the member 2. It will now be seen that by merely grasping the panel 43, the ash box 40 may be drawn outwardly from the mounting member 2. Movement is provided by rotation of the ball bearings 16 within the beads 5 and 6 of the mounting member 2 and the beads 44 and 45 in the ash box 48. By touching the panel 43 and inserting an inward pressure, the panel 43 is moved inwardly to be positioned flush with the mounting member.

When one wishes to remove the ash box 40 from the mounting member 2, a finger is placed on the finger tab 17 pressing it downwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, returning the twisted element 10 to a symmetrical position. This releases the front edge of the element 10 from behind the stop tab 7. The operator is then free to remove the ash box 40 and the element 10 from the mounting member 2 for cleaning therof. As stated above, to reinsert the ash box, one merely aligns the ball bearings with the beads in the mounting member, and pushes the ash box inwardly until the front edge of the carriage element 10 snaps behind the stop tab 7.

It should be noted that this invention has provided a unique structure for allowing the ash box to be removed from the ash tray construction. The need for a specially formed carriage element and a special spring associated therewith have been eleminated. Through the provision of the twist in the carriage element and the enlarging of the opening 14a, one side of the carriage element is biased upwardly with respect to the ash box, causing it to lie behind the simple tab formed in the mounting member. The structure is much less expensive to fabricate. Further, the operation is sure and positive, cooperating directly with the other structure to provide an ash tray with maximum smoothness and having an ash box very readily removable from the ash tray structure for cleaning.

While only one embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it may be possible to practice the invention through the utilization of certain other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Such other embodiments are to be included as part of this invention unless the following claims specifically state otherwise.

We claim:

1. An ash tray adapted to be mounted in the interior of an automobile and the like, comprising: a mounting member; an ash box; a carriage element; means slidably interconnecting said member, said ash box and said carriage element; a twist in said carriage element biasing one side of said element from a symmetrical position to lie above the other; a stop on said mounting member lying in the path of said carriage element and determining the outward extent of its movement with respect to said member; and said stop of a size such that biasing of said carriage element toward its symmetrical position disengages said element from said stop for removal from said member.

2. An ash tray as defined in claim 1, said stop comprising a tab extending downwardly from the front side edge of said mounting member,

3. An ash tray as defined in claim 1, said carriage element being of one piece construction and including a finger tab extending forwardly from the raised side edge thereof.

4. An ash tray as defined in claim 1, said stop comprising a tab formed from said mounting member and extending downwardly from the front side edge of said member, said carriage element being generally U-shaped and of one piece construction including a finger tab extending forwardly from the raised side edge thereof.

5. An ash tray adapted to be mounted in the interior of an automobile and the like, comprising: a mounting member including a pair of tracks at its sides; an ash box including a pair of tracks at its sides; a carriage element having means retaining ball bearings at its sides; ball bearings positioned in said means and lying in said tracks of said box; said ball bearings exposed through said means to said tracks of said member whereby said box is movable with respect to said member; a twist in said carriage element biasing one side of said element from a symmetrical position to lie above the other; a stop on said mounting member lying in the path of said carriage element and determining the outward extent of its movement with respect to said member; and said stop of a size such that biasing of said carriage element toward its symmetrical position disengages said element from said stop for removal from said member.

6. An ash tray as defined in claim 5, said tracks comprising elongated beads formed in said mounting member and said ash box.

7. An ash tray as defined in claim 5, said means retaining ball bearings comprising openings in said carriage element, an opening being vertically elongated in said raised side.

8. An ash tray as defined in claim 5, said stop comprising a tab extending downwardly from the front side edge of said mounting member.

9. An ash tray as defined in claim 5, said carriage element being of one piece construction and including a finger tab extending forwardly from the raised side edge thereof.

An ash tray as defined in claim 5, said stop comprising a tab formed from said mounting member and extending downwardly from the front side edge of said member, said carriage element being generally U-shaped and of one piece construction including a finger tab extending forwardly from the raised side edge thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,334,925 11/ 1943 Hendricks 312246 2,548,533 4/ 1951 Hendricks 312-246 3,109,688 11/1963 Middleton 3 l2246 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. F, DOMOTOR, Assisitant Examiner, 

1. AN ASH TRAY ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED IN THE INTERIOR OF AN AUTOMOBILE AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING: A MOUNTING MEMBER; AN ASH BOX; A CARRIAGE ELEMENT; MEANS SLIDABLY INTERCONNECTING SAID MEMBER, SAID ASH BOX AND SAID CARRIAGE ELEMENT; A TWIST IN SAID CARRIAGE ELEMENT BIASING ONE SIDE OF SAID ELEMENT FROM A SYMMETRICAL POSITION TO LIE ABOVE THE OTHER; A STOP ON SAID MOUNTING MEMBER LYING IN THE PATH OF SAID CARRIAGE ELEMENT AND DETERMINING THE OUTWARD EXTENT OF ITS MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID MEMBER; AND SAID STOP OF A SIZE SUCH THAT BIASING OF SAID CARRIAGE ELEMENT TOWARD ITS SYMMETRICAL POSITION DISENGAGES SAID ELEMENT FROM SAID STOP FOR REMOVAL FROM SAID MEMBER. 